Saleswoman arrested over aggressive sales tactics, third suspect linked to Opatra

Hong Kong customs officers have apprehended a young woman for employing aggressive sales techniques at a beauty chain that was once known as Opatra London, raising the total number of arrests in the case to three, according to the South China Morning Post. The saleswoman, in her twenties, allegedly pressured a customer at the now-defunct Sha Tin New Town Plaza outlet to make a purchase, using tactics such as claiming the facial treatment was not yet complete to keep the customer in the store.

Customs officials have received over thirty calls for assistance related to the chain, with six alleged victims reporting losses ranging from HK$1,800 (US$230) to HK$100,000 in August. Two managers, a 42-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, were also arrested in August over similar tactics but were later released on bail. Opatra's UK headquarters has consistently denied involvement, stating that the Hong Kong outlets were independently operated under a distribution agreement.

The company has suspended its city distributor and pledged full cooperation with authorities. Authorities are currently trying to locate three directors of Sayles Retail, but their whereabouts in Hong Kong remain unconfirmed. Opatra is also facing lawsuits over unpaid rent totaling HK$795,000. All four Opatra outlets in Hong Kong, including the flagship store in Causeway Bay, have been closed with the brand name obscured. Additional details about the case are anticipated to be disclosed on Wednesday night.